Unconditional love
Subtitle: a guide to navigating the joys and challenges of being a grandparent today
By: Jane Isay
Edition: First edition.
Published: 2018
Language: eng
Number of pages: 226
ISBN-13: 9780062427168
Copyright date: 2018
Subjects: Grandparenting; Grandparent and child
Description: A meditation on the joys of grandparenthood shares practical suggestions for making the most of a grandparent-grandchild relationship, building trust, knowing when and when not to get involved, and managing long-distance challenges.

"A beautiful meditation on the joys of being a grandparent and a practical guide to help you and your adult children make the most of your relationship with a grandchild. For many grandparents, a grandchild offers a second chance to become the parent they didn't have the time or the energy to be when raising their own children. Family relationships expert Jane Isay argues that being a grandparent is the opportunity to turn missed opportunities into delight. Drawing on her personal experience, dozens of interviews, and the latest findings in psychology, Isay shows how a grandparent can use his or her unique perspective and experience to create a deep and lasting bond that will echo throughout a grandchild's life. She explores the realities of today's multigenerational families, identifying problems and offering solutions to enhance love, trust, and understanding between grandparents, parents, and grandchildren. She also offers a wealth of practical advice, on when to get involved, when to stay away, and how to foster a strong relationship when you're separated by long distance. Unconditional Love advocates for honest conversation, thinking in the long run, and healing breaches in order to be together, understanding that most of us try to do our best and need to be forgiven if we fail. Isay argues that secrets and surprises may tilt the boat, but won't necessarily sink it, and that grandparents and their grown children are happier when they give each other the benefit of the doubt. Most importantly, she writes, the advent of grandchildren offers families the opportunity for healing and redemption--if we seize the moment. In lovely prose and through delightful stories, Isay shows us how we can. A great gift for grandparents-to-be and a wonderful resource for all, Unconditional Love is a beautiful and psychologically astute look at what it means to be an engaged grandparent."--Dust jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-217) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: Stardust; title: Part I: The family grows. Grandparent prep: what to do before the baby comes ; When everything changes: the shift of power; title: Part II: The intangibles. Nurturing the moral imagination ; The more they know, the taller they grow: the impact of family stories ; Our fountain of youth; title: Part III: Real issues, real solutions. Love and sacrifice: custodial grandparents ; Staying close while living far away ; Who gets what and when?; title: Part IV: Growing up, growing old. The short goodbye: taming teenage grandkids ; The gloaming; title: Epilogue: "Grandma, I'll always visit you"